[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 246 (Wednesday, December 23, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 79927-79928]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-32339]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LL WO31000.L13100000.PB0000.15X]


Renewal of Approved Information Collection; OMB Control No. 1004-
0185

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: 30-day notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has submitted an 
information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) to continue the collection of information pertaining to Onshore 
Oil and Gas Leasing, and Drainage Protection (43 CFR parts 3100, 3120, 
and 3150, and Subpart 3162). The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
previously approved this information collection activity, and assigned 
it control number 1004-0185.

DATES: The OMB is required to respond to this information collection 
request within 60 days but may respond after 30 days. For maximum 
consideration, written comments should be received on or before January 
22, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Please submit comments directly to the Desk Officer for the 
Department of the Interior (OMB #1004-0185), Office of Management and 
Budget, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, fax 202-395-5806, 
or by electronic mail at [email protected]. Please provide a 
copy of your comments to the BLM. You may do so via mail, fax, or 
electronic mail.
    Mail: U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management, 
1849 C Street NW., Room 2134LM, Attention: Jean Sonneman, Washington, 
DC 20240.
    Fax: to Jean Sonneman at 202-245-0050.
    Electronic mail: [email protected].
    Please indicate ``Attn: 1004-0185'' regardless of the form of your 
comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jennifer Spencer, at 202-912-7146. 
Persons who use a telecommunication device for the deaf may call the 
Federal Information Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339, to leave a message 
for Ms. Spencer. You may also review the information collection request 
online at http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501-
3521) and OMB regulations at 5 CFR part 1320 provide that an agency may 
not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless it displays a 
currently valid OMB control number. Until OMB approves a collection of 
information, you are not obligated to respond. In order to obtain and 
renew an OMB control number, Federal agencies are required to seek 
public comment on information collection and recordkeeping activities 
(see 5 CFR 1320.8(d) and 1320.12(a)).
    As required at 5 CFR 1320.8(d), the BLM published a 60-day notice 
in the Federal Register on July 14, 2015 (80 FR 41057), and the comment 
period ended September 14, 2015. The BLM received no comments. The BLM 
now requests comments on the following subjects:
    1. Whether the collection of information is necessary for the 
proper functioning of the BLM, including whether the information will 
have practical utility;
    2. The accuracy of the BLM's estimate of the burden of collecting 
the information, including the validity of the methodology and 
assumptions used;
    3. The quality, utility and clarity of the information to be 
collected; and
    4. How to minimize the information collection burden on those who 
are to respond, including the use of appropriate automated, electronic, 
mechanical, or other forms of information technology.
    Please send comments as directed under the ADDRESSES and DATES 
sections of this notice. Please refer to OMB control number 1004-0185 
in your correspondence. Before including your address, phone number, 
email address, or other personal identifying information in your 
comment, you should be aware that your entire comment--including your 
personal identifying information--may be made publicly available at any 
time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal 
identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we 
will be able to do so.
    The following information pertains to this request:
    Title: Onshore Oil and Gas Leasing and Drainage Protection (43 CFR 
parts 3100, 3120, and 3150, and Subpart 3162).
    Form: This is a nonform collection.
    OMB Control Number: 1004-0185.
    Abstract: The BLM proposes to extend the currently approved 
collection of information. In accordance with specific statutes and 
regulations, the BLM collects information to monitor and enforce 
compliance with drainage protection and other requirements pertaining 
to Federal and Indian oil and gas leasing and operations (except on the 
Osage Reservation). The statutes of primary importance are the Mineral 
Leasing Act of 1920 and the Federal Oil and Gas Royalty Management Act 
of 1982. The collection enables the BLM to monitor and enforce 
compliance with requirements pertaining to:
    1. Statutory acreage limitations;
    2. Waiver, suspension, or reduction of rental or royalty payments;
    3. Various types of agreements, contracts, consolidation and 
combinations;
    4. Subsurface storage of oil and gas;
    5. Transfers, name changes, and corporate mergers;
    6. Lease renewal, relinquishment, termination, and cancellation;
    7. Leasing under railroads and certain other types of rights-of-
way;
    8. Lands available for competitive leasing; and
    9. Drainage protection.
    Frequency: On occasion, except for Option Statements (43 CFR 
3100.3-3), which must be filed within 90 days after June 30 and 
December 31 of each year. All responses under this control number are 
required to obtain or retain a benefit.
    Estimated Number and Description of Respondents Annually: 6,165 
Federal and Indian oil and gas lessees, operators, record title owners, 
and holders of options to acquire an interest in Federal or Indian 
leases.
    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Hour'' Burden Annually: 
25,395 hours.
    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Non-Hour Cost'' Burden 
Annually: $472,514.
    The following table details the individual components and 
respective hour burdens of this information collection request:

[[Page 79928]]



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                               A.                                       B.              C.              D.
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                                                                                                    Total hours
                        Type of response                             Number of       Hours per      (column B x
                                                                     responses       response        column C)
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Notice of option holdings 43 CFR 3100.3-1(b)....................               1               1               1
Option statement 43 CFR 3100.3-3................................               1               1               1
Proof of acreage reduction 43 CFR 3101.2-4(a)...................               1               1               1
Excess acreage petition 43 CFR 3101.2-4(a)......................               1               1               1
Ad hoc acreage statement 43 CFR 3101.2-6........................               1               1               1
Joinder evidence statement 43 CFR 3101.3-1......................              50               1              50
Waiver, suspension, or reduction of rental or royalty 43 CFR                 130               2             260
 3103.4-1.......................................................
Communitization or drilling agreements 43 CFR 3105.2............             535               2           1,070
Operating, drilling, or development contracts 43 CFR 3105.3.....               1               1               1
Joint operations, transportation of oil application 43 CFR                     1               1               1
 3105.4.........................................................
Subsurface storage application 43 CFR 3105.5....................               1               1               1
Consolidation of leases 43 CFR 3105.6...........................              35               1              35
Heirs and devisees statement 43 CFR 3106.8-1....................              90               1              90
Change of name 43 CFR 3106.8-2..................................             160               1             160
Corporate merger 43 CFR 3106.8-3................................           1,755               1           1,755
Lease renewal application 43 CFR 3107.8.........................               1               1               1
Relinquishment 43 CFR 3108.1....................................              90               1              90
Class I reinstatement petition 43 CFR 3108.2-2..................              35               3             105
Class II reinstatement petition 43 CFR 3108.2-3.................              30               3              90
Class III reinstatement petition 43 CFR 3108.2-4................               1               1               1
Application for lease under right-of-way 43 CFR 3109.1..........               5               8              40
Lands available for competitive leasing 43 CFR 3120.1-1(e)......           1,750               8          14,000
Protests and appeals 43 CFR 3120.1-3............................             380               8           3,040
Preliminary drainage protection report 43 CFR 3162.2-9..........           1,000               2           2,000
Detailed drainage protection report 43 CFR 3162.2-9.............             100              24           2,400
Additional drainage protection report 43 CFR 3162.2-9...........              10              20             200
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
    Totals......................................................           6,165  ..............          25,395
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Jean Sonneman,
Bureau of Land Management, Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2015-32339 Filed 12-22-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-84-P